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Aggies Softball Adds Highly-Touted UCLA Transfer Kennedy Powell
Texans often leave the Lone Star State, but time will always call them back home. Kennedy Powell is headed back home after a season on the west coast.
Texas A&M softball added the UCLA utility player via the transfer portal on Monday in preparation for the 2024 season. Powell starred as one of the Bruins' top hitters, garnering accolades and a spot on the Pac-12's all-freshman conference team last spring.
“Kennedy is someone that instantly makes us better,” A&M head coach Trisha Ford said in a school release. “She is a special talent that will immediately come in and make a huge impact. I’m excited to start bringing some of the Texas talent back home.”
Powell, a native of Conroe, played in 59 games, starting in 45, at various positions last year for the Bruins. She batted .374 with a .424 on-base percentage and a slugging percentage of .433. Powell totaled five extra-base hits, including a home run and finished with 21 RBIs, along with five stolen bases.
One of the top prospects in college softball, Powell was listed as the No. 6 recruit overall by Extra Inning Softball, No. 15 by MaxPreps, and No. 24 by FloSoftball. While attending Conroe High School, she was named back-to-back 13-6A Offensive Player of the Year for the Tigers in 2021 and 2022.
Where Powell will line up for the Aggies remains a mystery. Last season, she saw action in all three outfield spots and made several starts at both first and third base. During the Bruins' run to the Women's College World Series in Oklahoma City, Okla., she started two games in left field, going 1-for-6 at the plate.
The Aggies (35-21, 12-12 SEC) clinched a spot in the year's NCAA Tournament in Ford's first season. A&M rattled off series wins in four of its last six conference matchups to make the Round of 64. The Aggies were eliminated in the Austin Regional with losses to the host team and No. 8 national seed Texas.
UCLA (52-7, 21-3 Pac-12) ranked second behind three-time national champion Oklahoma to close out the regular season. The Bruins failed to make it to Oklahoma City, losing back-to-back games to Grand Canyon and Liberty in the Los Angeles Regional.
Ford and the Aggies know Powell well, not just from her recruitment, but from her on-field play earlier in the season. In a 3-0 win over A&M, the UCLA freshman went 2-for-3 with a pair of singles. She was thrown out at home trying to score from second on a single from Ramsey Suarez.
Powell becomes the second significant transfer added this offseason by Ford's staff, joining former Arizona State outfielder Jazmine Hill. Last season for the Lady Sun Devils, Hill posted a .318/.631/.408 slash line with seven home runs and 23 RBI.
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